Current collector for electric vehicles



Aug; M, E945 F. szALAY 2,382,751.

l -CURRENT COLLECTOR FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES Filed Aug. 21', 1941 F4 -4 ,55 agi 'fn #en for FfPE/VC JZ y ym-M Patentedy Aug. 14, 1945 oNITlato:Yy PMENT OFFICE CURRENTA COLLECTORFOR ELECT-RIC VEHICLES Ferenc Szalay Budapest, Hungary; Avested L'in' -th'e'f Alien vProperty Custodian A Application August 2,1, 1941, .serial No. 407,804.

The sliding shoes or trolleys of the current collectors of the known types are liable to dewirement (to jump olf the overhead wires)A whilst of the overhead net. A further drawback Ai's'that the pole of the `current collector which has dewired will swing out freely around the vertical axis of the trolley base and will perform a mowing-like motion, thus damaging any such wires or other objects as may be situated sideways from the overhead wires. Any damage thus produced can only be corrected by means of llengthy and expensive repairs, whilst, high-tension wires crashing down also may cause a danger to life.

In order to eliminate the drawbacks enumerated, a device is provided on the `current collec-- tor according to the invention wherein the trolley pole is propped in its working position, by a device operated by an electric and/or mechanical apparatus and wherein a pivot is provided on the trolley pole or on its support around which said pole will, as soon as the propping device is released, snap down to a level lower than that of the overheadwires.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the lifting spring o-r springs of the currentcollector urging the trolley pole against the overhead wires are released by means of an oil or air dashpot and/or of a counter-spring, the operation of which is effected by means of an electromagnet and/or an electric motor and/or compressed air.

The re-setting of the released mechanism is elected by lifting the trolley pole above its highest working position, during which procedure the counterspring or some other pressure force overcomes the force of the lifting spring and pulls the pole into working position.

In addition, it is the pressure of the oilor air-dashpot that is utilized also for braking the rotation of the trolley pole around a vertical axis, so as to prevent any damage which might be caused by the lateral movements of the trolley pole i. e., by the mowing-like motion.

The invention will no-w b e described by way of examples with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is aside elevation, andpartly afsection.

of a preferredembodiment of the current collectorV according to the invention.

Fi'gLZV is a .plan viewA of the Ydevice accordingto Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side eleva-tion ofamoclification of the-current collector accordingto Fig. 1.

Fig.4` is a plan view of the-device-shown in Fig?. 3.v

Eig. 5'` illustrates a detailof'Fig. 3 in section. u lin the preferred embodiment according to Figs. 1 and'2, a dashpo'tlll extends sideways'froni thel frame3,r The rod 5I ofy therpistonSQ-lmoving in this dashpot is articulately connectedto' the arms`53 journalled-at the end ofI thearm52 projecting from the frame 3. The. arms' 53 carry the journals for the transverseV pivot 54y (Fig. 2.). Oneend of Aeach-ofv theliftin'g springs 55.- and 56, respectively-is fastened` to the two ends of this pivot, whilst the other ends ofy the said springs are attachedto the forkedend ol the trolley pole. I in Lthe vicinity ofthe pivot 4; Thepiston rod 5I is surrounded by the counterspring 5l; which acts,.on the one hand, on the pivot 54, and on the other hand, oni-the casing of the dashpot` E9'. In the working positions offl the trolley pole, the action of the counterspring is weaker than the resultant; of thesprings `5,55 56; notably, it may, amount to, say, between onetenth and 'live-tenths of the latter.

The workingl point of the lifting springs-55i 56 on the trolley pole I is determinedby-fthe overhead wirelpressure, from the pivot 450i the pole, and accordingly, when Vthe trolley pole-appreaches -the vertical position, the strength of the springs diminishes. Accordingly, itfwill beA possible to provide for the counter-springgfl to overcome the lifting force of the springs 55,58.v in the highest working positionof the trolley pole, in order to render the release of the lifting` spring by means of pivot 54- andof piston rodlSI possible.

The lever 43 journall'edonthe base 3 passes through the port i'll out into the thicker part-vofl the piston rod 5I. The lever IIJ connectedarticulately'to the upper end ofy the lever 43 catches intothe rest of the pawl Il pivotable around the pivot 58, on the opposite end of which pawl the armature -ZIJ ofthe electro-magnet I2attaches. The operation ofthe electro-magnet I2 is effected asfollows:

The pole I is provided with the conventional sliding shoe 8 which is rotatable around a vertical axis. in the sleeve carried by the polel I: The magnet' I2. is Iconnected'to asource of cur` rent I3^`througha switch I Gand-'normally openr the wire 1, the spring 2| raises the pivot 22 and` permits contact to be made between contacts 'the rest of pawl 63 subject to spring action. The

pawl 63 is deflected against spring action by lever 32, with the cooperation of the levers II and 62 operated by the armature 20 of magnet I2. i

Notably, as soon as the shoe of the trolley pole I has left the overhead wire the magnet I2 will deflect lever 62 on the axle of lever II (Fig. 5), whereupon the lever 32 becomes released from lever 62 and the pawl 63 will, in consequence of the pressure of the lever I0, become I4 and I5 thereby causing energization of the electro-magnet I2..

The trolley pole snaps down in the following manner:

If the sliding shoe or trolley leaves the overhead wire, the electro-magnet I2 will draw-in its armature 20, which latter pulls downand/or strikes the longer arm of the pawl Il, whilst the shorter arm of the pawl II thrusts the lever I from its rest. g

The release of the lever I0 releases the propping lever 43, whereupon the lifting springs 55, 56 thrust the piston rod I, and, together with it, the piston 50 and the pivot 54 towards the axis 4, i. e. towards the right. After this motion has been braked by the counter-spring51 and by the dashpot 49, it is only gradually that the lifting springs 55, 56 will become released, and thus the trolley pole I will not drop freely, but will rst sink rapidly below the level of the contact wire and then with gradual deceleration to its horizontal position.

The mowing-like motion of the trolley pole which has jumped off the overhead wire is prevented by the brake piston moving in the cavity of base 3 tted with pivot 2. Whilst piston 5D compresses the medium contained in dashpot 49, the air gets through the aperture 59 into the space behind the brake piston 25, and presses the latter against the base-plate 26.

If the trolley pole which has jumped off is to be replaced on the overhead wire it is first necessary to deenergize the electro-magnet I2 by opening switch I6, whereupon the pulling action exerted by the armature 2U onv pawl II will cease and pawl II will, under spring action, return into its rest position. The piston rod 5I is pressed back by the spring 51, in which action the spring is aided either by raising the trolley pole I or by passing compressed air or liquid into the dashpot 49 whereupon the lever IIJ is brought by lever 43 into the rest of pawl II. It follows from this that as soon as the trolley pole is replaced on the overhead wire, the whole operating device together with the springs are returned automatically to their initial positions.

The modification represented in Figs. 3, .4 and 5 differs only from the embodiment shown vin Figs. l and 2 in that the operating device and springs are arranged behind the pivot when viewed in the running direction of the car and not in front of it.

The springs 55, 56 act on the section` situated below the axis 4 of the trolley pole I. The opposite ends of these springs are journalled on the pivot 54 arranged on the end of the piston rod 5I. The springs 55, 56 hold trolley pole I in its operative position and draw pivot 54 towards axis 4. This is prevented by the tooth or toothed wheel 6I journalled on the pivot of lever 43 and engaging with the end 60 of pistonrod 5I (Fig. 5). Accordingly, the lever 43 tends to turn` in the direction of the arrow indicated on Fig. 3, but this is prevented by lever I0 connected into deflected in a. counter-clockwise sense. In the meantime lever I0 jumps out from the rest of pawl 63, and lever 4 3 will, together with tooth 6I mounted on the common axle, turn in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 3 and release-piston rod 5I. Under the action of the springs 55, 56, the piston 50 will become displaced inthedirection of the arrow shown in Fig. 5.

This motion is resisted by the counter-spring 51 and by the medium compressed in the dashpot 49, Y

In other respects'the device according to Figs. 3, 4 and 5, is similar to the current-collector releasing and braking device shown in Figs. l and 2;

Magnet I 2 should preferably be constructed in such a manner as to ensure that lever I I should exert a striking eifect, so that the engagement between levers 32 and 62 is released with greater safety.

What'I claim is:

l. A trolley pole associated with a trolley wire comprising a pole section, a contact element carried'by said pole section, means lbiasing said element into contact with the trolley wire, a substantially vertical pivot associated with said pole section to permit rotation thereof in a horizontal plane, a pneumatically operated brake for preventing said rotation, and means responsive to lossof Contact between said contact element and the :trolley wire for gradually reducing the bias of lsaid biasing means upon said element and causing said biasing means lto simultaneously apply said brake.

2. A trolley pole associated with a trolley wire comprising a pole section, a contact element carried by said pole section, a spring biasing said element into contact with the trolley wire, a substantially Vertical pivot associated with said pole' section to permit rotation thereof in a horizontal plane, a pneumatically operated brake for preventing such rotation, and means responsive to loss of contact between said Contact element and the trolley wire for gradually reducing the bias of fthe spring upon said element and causing said spring to simultaneously apply said brake.

3. A `tr-olley pole associated with a trolley wire comprising a pole section, a contact element carried by said pole section, a frame supporting said pole section, a substantially vertical pivot assoelated with said frame to permit rotation thereof in a horizontal plane, a pneumatically operated brake for preventing such rotation, a spring connected between said frame and said pole section, means for tensioning said spring in a direction Ito maintain contact between said Contact element and `the trolley wire, a piston operatively connected to said spring, a cylinder surrounding said piston, a passage between said cylinder and said brake, and means responsive to loss of contact between said contact element and the trolley wire for releasing said tensioning means to reduce Y the tension of the spring and cause it to operate said piston to apply said brake.

4. A trolley pole associated with a trolley wire comprising a pole section, a Contact element carried by said pole section, a frame supporting said pole section, a substantially vertical pivot associated with said frame to permit rotation thereof in a horizontal plane, a pneumatica'lly operated brake for preventing such rotation, a pivoted link mounted on said frame, a spring connected between said link and said pole section, a mechanism holding said link in position for tensioning said spring in a direction to maintain contact between said contact element and the trolley wire, a piston operatively connected to said link, a, cylinder surrounding said piston, a passage between said cylinder and said brake, and means responsive .toloss of Contact between said contact element and :the trolley wire for releasing said holding mechanism toreduce the tension of the spring and cause it to operate said piston to apply said brake.

' FERENC SZALAY. 

